ANGIOMAX Mode of Action
Watch: "
Angiomax® (bivalirudin): Thrombin-Specific Inhibition for Preventing Thrombosis and Thrombin-Mediated Platelet Activation,"
to see a vivid demonstration of ANGIOMAX in action.
ANGIOMAX Precision Targets Thrombin Directly
ANGIOMAX Benefits Avoid the Risk and Limitations of Heparin
Unlike Heparin
ANGIOMAX is a direct thrombin inhibitor with a short half-life (25 minutes),
enabling “fast-on, fast-off” activity 3ANGIOMAX inhibits thrombin-mediated platelet activation—
ANGIOMAX does not promote platelet activation and aggregation 4ANGIOMAX provides a predictable dose response—
no continuous activated clotting time (ACT) monitoring is required 3ANGIOMAX does not generate heparin antibodies, posing
no risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or
thrombosis syndrome (HIT/HITTS) 3Unlike Heparin
Platelet images courtesy of Sunil X. Anand, Michael C. Kim (The Zena and Michael A. Weiner Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine) and Jonathan D. Marmur (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn).
Safety Considerations
ANGIOMAX with provisional use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor is indicated for use as an anticoagulant in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and in patients with or at risk for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndrome (HIT/HITTS) undergoing PCI. ANGIOMAX is intended for use with aspirin and has been studied only in patients receiving concomitant aspirin. ANGIOMAX is contraindicated in patients with active major bleeding or hypersensitivity to ANGIOMAX or its components. The most common (
10%) adverse events for ANGIOMAX were back pain, pain, nausea, headache, and hypotension. An unexplained fall in blood pressure or hematocrit, or any unexplained symptom, should lead to serious consideration of a hemorrhagic event and cessation of ANGIOMAX administration. Please see complete
prescribing information.
1Weitz JI, Crowther M. Direct thrombin inhibitors. Thromb Res. 2002;106:V275-V284.
2Bates SM, Weitz JI. The mechanism of action of thrombin inhibitors. J Invasive Cardiol. 2000;12(suppl F):27F-32F.
3ANGIOMAX Prescribing Information, The Medicines Company, Parsippany, NJ, December 6, 2005.
4Weitz J, Maraganore J. The thrombin-specific anticoagulant, bivalirudin, completely inhibits thrombin-mediated platelet aggregation. Poster abstract TCT-212. Presented at: 13th Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Meeting, Washington, DC, 2001.